PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF MOMORDICA FOETIDA

Abstract

Natural products are sources of various biologically active chemicals. Momordica foetida is locally known as ‘Qori sinbira’ and is traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments including skin caused by smallpox, antidote for snake bites, fever and against spitting cobra poison. The present study was carried out on the phytochemical screening, isolation and characterization, GC-MS analysis and antimicrobial activity of leaf extracts of Momordica foetida herb collected from Woliso district of Oromia region. The percentage yield of crude extracted with n-hexane, Chloroform: Methanol (1:1) and Methanol were 1.8%, 2.71% and 18.19% respectively using Soxhlet apparatus to get crude extracts. The crude extracts were subjected to phytochemicals test which showed the presence of Alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids and terpenoids. The n-hexane crude extract was esterified and analyzed by GC-MS. The analysis showed the presence of 10 compounds such as Methyldecanoate, Methyl dodecanoate, Methyl tetradecanoate, Methyl hexadecanoate, Ethyl hexadecanoate, Methyl-9-octadecenoate, Methyl-8,11-octadecadoenoate, Methyl-9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoate, Bis (2- ethylhexyl) phthalate and Methyl-18-methylnonadecanoate. From MeOH/CHCl3 (1:1) ratio extracts of the laef one compound was isolated/purified using column chromatography (CC) and by preparative thin layer chromatography (PTLC) and coded as MF-C8. The isolated compound structure was characterized using 1H–NMR, 13C–NMR, DEPT–135, IR and UV-Vis and proposed as Heptadecanoic acid. The bioassay has indicated that the inhibition effect of the extracts was proportional to the concentration applied. The maximum antibacterial activity was shown by the methanol crude extract against S. aureus with an inhibition zone of 22mm at 20µg/mL.The extract composition and the observed antimicrobial properties show that the leaf has potential for use in pharmacy. The maximum antifungal activity was shown by the methanol crude extract against A. niger with an inhibition zone of 22.3mm at 20 µg/mL.